KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday launched the Bhasha Andolan (Language Movement) from Bolpur in Birbhum district, protesting the alleged attacks on Bengali-speaking migrant workers from West Bengal in various BJP-ruled states.
Addressing a public meeting after participating in a protest march organised by the Trinamool Congress, Banerjee said, “If needed, I will give my life but will not allow anyone to snatch our language or any language. Bengali is our pride, our asset, and the backbone of our identity. Who gave us the national song? Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay. Who gave us the national anthem? Rabindranath Tagore. Who gave us the slogan ‘Jai Hind’? Netaji.”
Accusing the BJP-led Central Government and the Election Commission of India (ECI) of allegedly attempting to implement the National Register of Citizens (NRC) through the backdoor in West Bengal, she claimed, “They are finalising the voter list while sitting in Gujarat. Gujaratis are not my enemies. The BJP’s agency is doing this. Try removing names in Bengal [we will show you what we can do]. Do not harass the people and the genuine voters. I will not allow NRC or detention camps here.”
“They have already set up detention camps in Haryana and Assam. Have our Hindu brothers forgotten how 7 lakh names were removed in Assam? Our slogan is: ‘Jo humse takrayega, choor choor ho jaayega’,” Banerjee thundered at the BJP.
Clarifying her stand, the Chief Minister said she was not against any language, but against divisive policies.
“Have we ever told any Hindi-speaking people to leave from here? But Bengali-speaking people are being harassed in Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Assam, and Maharashtra,” she alleged.
Banerjee said that it was not the lack of opportunities in their native state, but rather the quality of work, that took them to other states.
“Why do they go to other states? They are hired because of their skills. Who will do zari work? There are 1.5 crore migrants in our state but we don’t misbehave with them. This is their democratic, fundamental right. If our people are under attack, we will have to give them protection,” she announced.
Banerjee also appealed to the allegedly tortured Bengali-speaking migrants to return home, assuring them of complete support from the state police and administration.
She said, “Those who are being tortured outside, come back to Bengal. A police helpline has already been provided. Tell us the date, and we will arrange trains just like we did during COVID. Even if we have only one roti, we will share half. We will create more schemes and give you work.”
Highlighting the alleged injustice, the Chief Minister questioned the Centre’s selective outreach.
Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, she said, “They only know Chai Pe Charcha and Mann Ki Baat. When you go to Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia and hug the sheikhs, do you check whether they are Muslims? A few days ago, you gave Maldives ₹5,000 crore, and yet we are not getting MGNREGA funds. Do you then see whether they are Hindu or Muslim?”
Terming the BJP-led governments in Haryana and Assam as “incompetent”, she said, “Just for speaking in Bengali, we are labelled Bangladeshis? We will stop this conspiracy. Everyone must take to the streets to stop it.”